A conventional air filter is typically mounted in a filter housing which, in turn, is typically mounted in a device which draws or pushes air through the air filter and filter housing. There are some devices, coming in various shapes and sizes, that require filtered air to protect internal components from abrasion and/or corrosion due to the intake of foreign particles. For example, computers, VCRs, stereos, and TVs require filtered air to protect internal components. There are other devices, also coming in various shapes and sizes, that can be used to provide filtered air by removing unwanted particles from the surrounding environment. For example, box fans, circular fans, air purifiers, and central heating air-conditioning systems can be used to provide filtered air in a home environment. As a result, there are a variety of air filters and air filter housings on the market that are custom made to be compatible with particular devices. For example, there are custom filters and filter housings which are compatible with air purifiers but are not compatible with computers. As can readily be appreciated, the purchase of custom made replacement filters and filter housings for each particular device can quickly become very expensive. Furthermore, it sometimes costs nearly as much to purchase the replacement filters and filter housings as it did to purchase the original device. Consequently, there is a continuing need for a universal air filter that is compatible with the various devices that require and/or provide filtered air.
Another drawback encountered with conventional air filters is the necessity of having air filter housings for supporting and properly positioning the air filters on a device. As can readily be appreciated, the mere presence of an air filter housing often increases the size of the overall device. This, in turn, increases the overall cost of the device. Furthermore, it is often difficult to manipulate the air filter housing to remove a spent air filter and replace it with a new air filter. Accordingly, users of devices that provide filtered air often fail to replace the spent air filters thereby thwarting the very reason for operating the air filtering devices. Additionally, users of devices that require filtered air often fail to replace the spent air filters thereby shortening the service life of the devices due to the corrosion or abrasion of the internal components within the devices. Furthermore, air filter housings often impede the flow of air through the air filters thereby reducing the effectiveness of the air filters. Consequently, there is a continuing need for a universal air filter that can be positioned in various air ingesting or expelling devices without using an air filter housing.
There is currently no self-adhesive air filter which is available that will secure itself to any dry surface that it is in contact with. It is oftentimes desirable to adhere a filter to such diverse surfaces as screens, grills and slotted air openings which not only present the challenge of having non-contiguous surfaces for filter application but also which may be of odd and unpredictable surface geometries.
As noted above, most commonly available filters are those which are confined within a casing made of material which is not intended to assist in the filtering function but simply intended to physically house and retain the filter in a given location. As such, casings made of, for example, cardboard and plastic limit the application of filter materials to unanticipated and geometrically complex surfaces. Even if a manufacturer was to offer a line of filters for every conceivable application, filter distributors would have to inventory an unrealistically large number of products to complete their filter line inventory.
Perhaps the closest design to the present invention, at least specifically, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,336 to Smick et al. This Feb. 13, 1996 patent describes a filter design for appliances having electric motors such as hair dryers, power tools and drills. Smick et al. also discloses that their filter can be cut to fit onto the intake portion of such an appliance. However, the filter employs a foam material that has an asterisk shaped piece or pieces of plastic that are either pressed, compressed or molded into the foam filter material. This asterisk shaped add-on component retains adhesive. However, the plastic adhesive bearing strips, by their very nature, resists conforming to a complex geometric surface. In addition, when Smick et al. teaches cutting their filter to provide a cone-shaped object, some of the cutting inherently requires the removal of the asterisk-shaped plastic and related adhesive such that if the filter is cut as to remove the asterisk at a border of a cut region, there will be no adhesive at the margin of the filter to retain it onto the motor intake surface thus removing the effectiveness of the filter for all practical purposes. Finally, it should be appreciated that the plastic asterisk adhesive pattern does nothing but block portions of the filter resulting in a reduction in overall filter surface area.
While there are several prior art filters, each prior art filter suffers from the drawbacks discussed above. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,764 to Matschke, issued Jul. 18, 1995, describes a circular filter held by a retainer of porous material. A layer of adhesive is positioned on the retainer to hold it and the filter on a device. However, so much adhesive is used that it virtually blocks the porosity of the filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,748 to Miller, Jr., issued Jul. 26, 1994, describes a circular filter having three spaced strips of polyester on one side of the filter. The outer surfaces of the strips are coated with an adhesive for holding the filter on the intake portion of a blow dryer. Miller, Jr., like Smick et al., teaches using adhesive strips on a limited portion of the filter since the adhesive strips reduce the effectiveness of the filter by impeding the flow of air through the filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,721 to Carnahan, issued Dec. 6, 1994, describes a ceiling fan filter for filtering the air in a room having a ceiling fan. As can readily be appreciated upon reviewing Carnahan, the filter disclosed is custom made for a ceiling fan and is not compatible with other devices for filtering air.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-adhesive air filter which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a self-adhesive air filter which is universally compatible with devices that require filtered air.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a self-adhesive air filter which is universally compatible with devices that provide filtered air.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a self-adhesive air filter which can be positioned in various air ingesting and/or expelling devices without using an air filter housing.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a self-adhesive air filter which is self adhesive without reducing the effectiveness of the filter.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art in view of the figures and description of the figures given below.